I have been a global "reputation strategist" -- working at the highest levels to help create, enhance and save reputations for a number of years. My firm, Temin and Company, a boutique management consulting firm of 12 people, is focused on providing world-class marketing and media strategy, crisis and reputation management, thought leadership, and leadership communications (speaker and media) coaching.
Among other clients, I work with 19 CEOs, and often their management teams around the world. Our clients include major corporations and their products, professional services firms, nonprofits, universities, authors, scientists and politicians.
I also speak a lot, and conduct media, presentation skills and crisis management training, to corporations, CEO groups, and association meetings around the world. Also go on TV a lot, often as a spokesperson in times of client crises.
Before starting my firm (a life-long dream), I ran marketing for GE Capital, Schroders, Scudder, Citicorp Investment Bank and Columbia Business School.
I love this work, and truly hope to add serious value to whatever we touch.
It is NEVER boring!
In my spare time (!), I am also First Vice Chair of the Board of Girl Scouts of the USA -- pass the cookies, please -- Chair of the Board of Video Volunteers, an international organization empowering the voices of the poorest of the poor, and on many other boards.
I'm currently writing a book on crisis management. Stay tuned for that one!

Jeremy Lin has just made the news again, as he leaves New York for Houston. Personally, as a New Yorker, I am terribly saddened, because he is not only a compelling player, who set a great tone for the Knicks…but he is also a savvy professional, who has pulled some interesting moves off the court, as well as on it.

It’s Linsane, certainly. But brilliant. And he has some branding lessons to share with us all.

In fact, Jeremy Lin has taken personal branding to the next level – by trade marking his personal brand of mass hysteria – “Linsanity.”

In our current age of celebrity, social media, and a fickle work world, often all we have left is our personal brand. At every speech I give on reputation, resilience, and executive presence in front of high-potential corporate executives, invariably the topic of personal branding comes up.

Most up-and-comers are thinking about it, but few are doing it well, since one must already stand for something unique, and capture it compelling, before one even begins. And then one has to walk the thin line between narcissism and modesty when embodying one’s own brand. What is acceptable translates differently for different audiences.

And then there’s Jeremy Lin. A basketball phenom — he came out of the blue (actually out of the Harvard Crimson) — to capture the imagination of the sport. A dark horse, he became known for his team work, precision, intelligence and ability to inspire his teammates and fans.

Few mortals, of course, could think about trademarking their names (“John Smithism” just wouldn’t work, nor would “Mary Jonesian”…) But sports figures have been protecting their worth through trademarks for a long time. In the case of Linsanity, we see a millennial making the best of all worlds in his own branding efforts (with the help of countless sports writers, fans, agents, and lawyers, I am sure).

And it’s a good thing he did, because as he moves from New York to Houston, Linsanity moves with him.

So, what lessons can we learn about personal branding from Jeremy Lin and Linsanity? Here’s a brief primer:

1.) First, you need to stand for something out of the ordinary and positive, something that does not benefit you, but benefits others. In corporate branding, we call it a positioning statement made up of brand attributes that describe just why the company is special (its mission, vision, attributes, etc.)

2.) You need to manifest your brand in almost everything you do — and others must recognize that long before you try to “brand” yourself. Simply proclaiming you are this or that, without walking the talk first, is a recipe for failure.

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I always make a point to read Davia’s column. She has the remarkable ability to combine the unexpected with the insightful. I appreciate her eloquent clarity and her excellent lessons. She offers practical advise that I can implement in my career and to benefit my employer. I always think about her columns long after I am done. Thank you Davia and Forbes.